Events

MJ Unpacked Is Coming Home to the Boardwalk

Published

2 months ago

April 30, 2026

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MJ Unpacked Is Coming Home to the Boardwalk

MJ broken down is coming back to Atlantic City May 5-7, and it feels less like another cannabis conference and more like a family reunion on the beach—with much better weed. This is more than just a date on the industry calendar; it’s the rare event where operators, brands, investors and policy nerds all show up, support and understand where this market is going.

The pier party you never had as a kid

I still haven’t stopped thinking about the last time MJ Unpacked took the stage for the after party. That night is firmly cemented as one of the most memorable events I have ever been to. Walking down the pier with the rides on, the ocean breeze in your face and the top shelf product in your pocket feels like going back to your childhood – only this time you’re armed with amazing weed products and your childlike wonder and awe to everyone’s utter amazement. It was pure joy layered over genuine industry connection, which is a combination you just don’t find often in this business.

That’s the energy MJ Unpacked is bringing back to Atlantic City in 2026. The after-hours experience isn’t an afterthought; is an intentional extension of the show’s mission: to create a space where real relationships form, deals get started, and people remember why they signed up for this industry in the first place.

Programming with something for everyone

On the business side, the programming this year has been assembled in a way that reflects the complexity of the modern cannabis landscape. Whether you’re an MSO executive, a craft operator holding it in a single state, a prospective licensee still grappling with regulators, or an ancillary provider trying to stand out in a crowded field, there’s a room at MJ Unpacked where people speak your language.

Expect tightly curated sessions that move beyond surface-level talking points and into real issues: navigating capital in a tight market, reading the tea leaves for federal reform, building brands that can actually travel, and operational best practices you can implement on Monday morning. There’s a balance of investor-focused content, brand-building talks and key discussions on compliance, data and profitability, so you don’t have to choose between the ‘big picture’ and the ‘practical’. You can get both, often in the same hour.

A view from the eyes of the value lawyer

As someone who spends a good portion of the day in the weeds of statutes, regulations, and contracts, I look at events like this a little differently. It’s not just, “Is this fun?” It’s, “Is this where my customers—and the industry—can get sharper, smarter and better positioned?” MJ Unpacked consistently checks that box.

The conversations that happen in and around these sessions tend to interrupt the posture. Hear operators share real regulatory headaches, investors candidly explain what really matters in a pitch deck, and brand executives talk about surviving price compression and changing consumer preferences. For lawyers, regulators and policy-focused professionals, it’s a chance to understand how the rules are being implemented on the ground – and where future changes are likely to come from. For everyone else, it’s an efficient way to compress months of trial and error into a few days of targeted learning and networking.

Why Atlantic City 2026 is not to be missed

Atlantic City gives MJ Unpacked a unique backdrop: easy to get to and polished enough to host serious business without losing its soul. During the day, you’re in breakout sessions, walking the floor and meeting the people who are actually moving product and capital. At night, you walk out onto a boardwalk that feels like a living metaphor for this industry—bright lights, great potential, and just enough noise to keep it interesting.

If you’re serious about building, protecting or investing in cannabis brands, MJ Unpacked Atlantic City 2026 is the place to plant your flag this May. Come for the programming, stay for the pier party, and leave with a notebook full of ideas, a phone full of new contacts, and maybe that sense of old-school excitement that got you into this space in the first place.

Announcements

CannaCon Returns to St. Paul June 26–27, Bringing Industry Leaders, Education, and Networking to Minnesota’s Cannabis Market

Published

1 week ago

June 11, 2026

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CannaCon Returns to St. Paul June 26–27, Bringing Industry Leaders, Education, and Networking to Minnesota's Cannabis Market

Pot Brothers at Law, Roundtable Discussions and an Exclusive Q&A with the Office of Cannabis Management Highlight This Year’s Event

ST. PAUL, MN – CannaCon, the nation’s premier B2B cannabis conference and expo, returns to the Saint Paul RiverCentre on June 26–27, 2026, bringing together cannabis entrepreneurs, growers, retailers, processors, manufacturers, investors and industry service providers from across Minnesota.

As Minnesota’s adult-use cannabis market continues to evolve, CannaCon St. Paul offers attendees a unique opportunity to connect directly with industry experts, regulators and business leaders as they explore the latest products, services and innovations shaping the future of cannabis.

One of this year’s featured attractions is an appearance by nationally known people Pot Brothers at Lawattorneys Marc and Craig Wasserman, known for their viral “Shut the F*ck Up” campaign that educates cannabis consumers and businesses about their legal rights. Attendees will hear first-hand insights into boating interactions with law enforcement and regulators while protecting themselves and their businesses.

In addition to a robust seminar program, CannaCon St. Paul will display interactive The Round Table designed to foster meaningful conversations among cannabis professionals. These peer-to-peer sessions will allow attendees to exchange ideas, share experiences and discuss the real-world challenges and opportunities facing operators in Minnesota’s emerging market.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a special Question and Answer Session with the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). This highly anticipated session will provide valuable insight into licensing, compliance requirements, regulatory updates and the future direction of Minnesota’s cannabis industry.

“Our goal is to create an environment where businesses can learn, connect and grow,” said Angela Grelle, Director of Marketing for CannaCon. “With Minnesota’s cannabis industry entering an exciting new phase, we’re proud to offer a platform that connects entrepreneurs with the education, resources and relationships they need to succeed.”

In addition to educational programming, attendees can explore over one hundred exhibitors showcasing cultivation technology, retail solutions, extraction equipment, packaging, compliance services, financial resources, software platforms and other products designed to help cannabis businesses thrive.

Whether you’re preparing to launch a new cannabis venture, expand an existing operation, or stay ahead of industry trends, CannaCon St. Paul offers two days of education, networking and business-focused opportunities.

Event details

CannaCon St. Paul 2026
26–27 June 2026
Saint Paul River Center
St. Paul, Minnesota

For tickets, exhibitor information and event updates, visit CannaCon.org.

About CannaCon

CannaCon is the nation’s premier B2B cannabis conference and expo, bringing together cannabis industry professionals for education, networking and business development opportunities. Since its inception, CannaCon has connected thousands of entrepreneurs, operators and industry experts helping businesses grow in legal cannabis markets across the United States.

Media contact:
Angela Grelle
COO
CannaCon
angela@cannacon.org
www.cannacon.org

chicago

IgniteIt Brings Cannabis Capital Conference to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile

Published

2 weeks ago

June 4, 2026

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IgniteIt Brings Cannabis Capital Conference to Chicago's Magnificent Mile

If Spotlight in New Jersey was any indication, the IgniteIt Capital Cannabis Conference in Chicago is shaping up to be a significant moment for the industry.

From Jersey City to the Magnificent Mile

Turn it onThe recent New Jersey event sold out, attracting more than 500 operators, investors and service providers to a one-day program in Jersey City built around curated presentations, gatekeeper networking and structured meetings. Attendees and organizers described the hallway conversations as essential as the panels themselves—coffee lines turned into breakout sessions, presentations that led to follow-up meetings.

The Spotlight Series is designed as an on-ramp to Chicago, giving emerging brands, multi-state operators and investors a chance to meet and compare notes before hitting the bigger stage. The idea is that relationships started in Jersey City have somewhere to go—Chicago is where the follow-up email becomes a term sheet, a pilot partnership or a conversation about multi-state expansion.

Where capital appears ready to work

The Chicago conference has developed a reputation as a gathering where serious cannabis capital actually moves. Across three days on the Magnificent Mile, the expected line-up of attendees includes CEOs, fund managers, family offices and institutional players – along with founders and operators looking to get ahead of them.

The format reflects that: on-stage pitches, private meetings and structured networking sit alongside core programming, making the deal environment more purposeful than a typical exhibition floor. All plant-touching companies, ancillary technology firms, consumer brands and multi-state operators are expected, many of which are actively seeking capital, strategic partners or exits.

Content that moves the needle

The program features more than 120 speakers, including executives from leading multinational operators and financial institutions. Sessions include market-focused and functional tracks, covering capital strategy, scaling in competitive markets, regulatory changes, pricing pressure and the federal perspective.

The panel topics are particularly practical: how to protect margins during the downturn, how to expand across state lines, how to prepare for institutional capital, and how policy changes are likely to reshape operations over the next one to two years. A media stage hosts live chats throughout the event, with a special program for brands looking to build relationships with the press.

With intentional networking, curated deal spaces, and content created for the people who actually sign paychecks and term sheets, Chicago has become a benchmark for what a cannabis business conference can be when every element is designed around results over optics. For operators serious about building, scaling or deploying capital in this industry, the sheer volume of opportunities in this room could make it the defining moment of the next chapter in your playbook.

Announcements

Dasheeda Dawson Launches Multi-State Cannabis Tour Focused on Policy, Culture, and Community

Published

3 weeks ago

May 30, 2026

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Dasheeda Dawson Launches Multi-State Cannabis Tour Focused on Policy, Culture, and Community

Founder WeedHead™ & Company brings talks, workshops, storytelling and community activations to cannabis markets throughout the Northeast and beyond

NEW YORK, NY — Dasheeda Dawson, renowned national cannabis strategist, former government regulator, molecular biologist, best-selling author and founder of The WeedHead™ & Company, recently announced the launch of The State (of) Flower Tour, a first of its kind in multiple states, traveling to 20 of the largest legal cannabis markets.

Launching alongside the long-awaited fourth edition of Dawson’s best-selling book, How to Succeed in the Cannabis Industrythe tour will bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, students, educators, workers, media, advocates and community members through conversations, workshops, cultural events, workforce development programming and storytelling activations designed to connect the many parts of the cannabis industry that often operate separately.

The tour kicks off in New York before traveling through New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, with additional stops planned in Florida and Nevada. The final stop will be in Philadelphia in partnership with Black Cannabis Week 2026.

“After more than a decade working in cannabis policy, business, science and community development, I’ve seen the same model work in every market,” Dawson said. “We didn’t just build an industry. We built it in pieces. This tour is about putting those pieces together by creating real pathways for education, entrepreneurship, workforce development and community connection.”

Each stop on the tour will feature programming tailored to the local market, including fireside chats, educational workshops, facility tours, networking events, She Blaze Podcast activations, job fairs and community-centered cultural experiences.

The tour comes at a critical time for the cannabis industry as states continue to navigate legalization, workforce development, equity enforcement and the broader implications of federal reform. While legal markets continue to expand, many aspiring entrepreneurs, workers, students and communities most affected by the ban still face barriers to access, information, visibility and opportunity.

The Flower State(s) Tour is being held in conjunction with Veronica “Vee” Castillo, known internationally as Vee, the Traveling Cannabis Writer, a globally respected cannabis author, advocate and journalist whose reporting on cannabis culture and equity has appeared in more than 25 publications. Castillo is partnering with Fame Neal, Exhale Social PRO co-founder and event producer, to develop the New Jersey tour programming.

“Storytelling has always been one of the most powerful tools we have in this industry, and I’m excited to kick off the tour in New Jersey alongside Dasheeda and Fame,” said Castillo. “This tour creates space to document the people, communities and culture that shape cannabis across the country.”

In addition to live events, the tour will generate original digital content through podcast conversations, mini-documentary episodes, written features and behind-the-scenes stories distributed across social platforms, podcast networks, email campaigns and partner media.

The fourth edition of How to Succeed in the Cannabis Industry expands on Dawson’s best-selling workbook with more than 100 pages of new content, including insights into the post-reprogramming era, a new chapter on cannabis regulation, and an expanded section focused on cannabis access, justice and health equity.

Pre-orders are now available at TheWeedHead.com.

Additional tour dates, programming announcements and partner collaborations will be released in the coming weeks.

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ABOUT DASHEEDA DAWSON

Dasheeda Dawson, also known as The WeedHead™, is a cannabis strategist, entrepreneur, educator, speaker and former government regulator working at the intersection of business, science, policy, culture and community impact. She has spent more than a decade helping shape the legal cannabis industry through leadership in public policy, media, entrepreneurship and advocacy.

Dawson previously led the cannabis regulatory offices in both New York City and Portland, Oregon, and currently serves as co-founder and board chair of the Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition (CRCC). She is also the Founder of The WeedHead™ & Company and co-founder and CEO of Wave Holistic Health, a licensed medical cannabis company in New York.

ABOUT THE COMPANY AND WEEDHEAD™

WeedHead™ & Company is a cannabis education, media and strategy platform focused on business, policy, science, culture, wellness and the empowerment of the cannabis community through content, experiences, products and strategic initiatives.